Full Kaspersky Review — Does It Stop All Viruses 2024?

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In our Kaspersky review, we shed light on both antiviruses and antivirus solutions, so you have clear and unbiased insights that can help you make an informed decision.

Those who encountered viruses are familiar with the threat of browsing the internet one minute and having their files taken over the next. While some people may be knowledgeable about this issue, others are still searching for an analysis of antivirus solutions.

The worst-case scenario? Having your identity stolen. That’s why it’s wise to be cautious when protecting yourself against online criminals.

But no need to worry – we’re here to provide you with nearly everything you need to know about one of the best products available, including feedback from Kaspersky reddit users.

Kaspersky Pros and Cons

After testing the software, we believe it is important to highlight both the positives and negatives in this Kaspersky review. Here are some insights from our testing team, as well as feedback from other online users:

After rigorous testing and considering the notes above, we feel confident that Kaspersky is among the best antivirus solutions for Windows and Mac alike.

Note that these insights are just the tip of the iceberg. Equally crucial to knowing the pros and cons is understanding how the entire system works.

Ready to know more? Let’s dive into our in-depth Kaspersky review.

What Is Kaspersky Antivirus?

While its main product is an antivirus solution, note that it is only a part of the cybersecurity suite offered by Kaspersky. The software suite originated from the standalone version and now has a two-way firewall and online payment security with the basic plan.

Protecting yourself from spyware is made simple with a tool like Kaspersky. Aside from that, there are other things the software can do to help secure your devices:

In terms of additional features, you can subscribe to them as add-ons for a wider range of functionality. Its versatility is perhaps why Kaspersky ranks among the top password managers.

Is Kaspersky Safe, and Can You Trust It?

Kaspersky has cemented its name in the cybersecurity field since it was founded as a private international company in 1997. Now, with its holding company in the United Kingdom, it secured a global reach with more than 400 million subscribers and 240,000 enterprise-level clients spread across over 200 countries.

From its humble beginnings offering antivirus software alone, Kaspersky has proven its grit time and again. Initially developed for Windows, Kaspersky Labs garnered recognition as early as 2000 by the UK tech magazine Virus Bulletin.

An interesting fact we’d like to note in our Kaspersky internet security review is its history with Pegasus malware, the spyware that hacked phones and turned them into 24-hour surveillance devices back in 2021.

Aside from blocking Pegasus on Android, it can even detect older versions of it, like the Trojan-Spy.AndroidOS.Pegasus.a. iOS users can rest easy, too, as the Kaspersky Security Cloud comes with anti-phishing tech that categorizes domains.

If any domain your device is trying to access is associated with Pegasus, the connection is immediately blocked by the software.

Looking for a Kaspersky rating or award? There’s an abundance of positive ratings; the company has won several awards and undergone tests, including:

Still, Kaspersky has been subjected to controversies as recently as 2023. No concrete evidence was supplied for the matter, however. Kaspersky continues to be an effective cybersecurity software suite.

Kaspersky’s Features – How Good Is It?

In our Kaspersky antivirus review, we found that it offers great value for the price.

We also discovered some unique features that are only available in this suite. These functions have proven to be highly effective for Kaspersky, making it one of the best antivirus solutions for servers and Chromebooks.

Web Browsing Protection

Vital to any antivirus software is its ability to let you browse with confidence, which is what we’ve found in trying Kaspersky.

Regular browsing should be relatively easy. You search for anything you need to know about and click on suitable links.

Do note, however, that even the most seasoned internet users are still prone to click on links that cause harm to their computer – or worse, their identity.

When we tested clicking on just any link we saw on our Google search, this was a common sight. Here, instead of landing on a malicious page, Kaspersky shows you this message box, including the URL and the reason why you can’t proceed.

Annoying ads, whether in the form of banners or pop-ups, can easily disrupt your browsing experience. In testing the software, we visited certain sites that inundate users with ads.

With the anti-banner feature turned on, we saw significantly fewer banner ads, with the caveat that the ones from Google may still show up. This means it can even block potentially harmful ad scripts as well.

Another additional protection when using your browser is the Webcam and Mic Protection, which alerts you whenever any other software tries to access these input devices. It also lets you choose which ones to allow.

Add-On: Kaspersky VPN

A virtual private network is a crucial tool for improving online security and privacy, as it creates a secure and encrypted connection to the internet. Doing so helps safeguard your data from potential cyber threats.

It even provides a certain level of privacy by masking your real IP address, making it less straightforward for third parties to track your internet activities.

Kaspersky offers such a service, eliminating the need to switch between apps for enhanced online privacy.

Even better, it’s one of the top providers with the fastest speeds, as rated in the AV-TEST Awards in 2022.

Its VPN service has the following features:

The VPN feature is only an add-on for the cheapest Kaspersky plan. We would have appreciated the VPN capabilities being an available feature for all plans.

Antivirus, Anti-malware, and Anti-ransomware

When testing various downloads, we found that Kaspersky is not just an antivirus solution. It steps up to deliver anti-malware and anti-ransomware functions, too.

Malware is any type of software designed to disrupt, control, or even damage a computer system. Simply put, a virus is a type of malware. How common is it? Well, there were over 5.5 billion cyberattacks in 2022.

Whenever a person uses malware to lock you out and ask you for money, that’s ransomware.

However, our team and individual users are not alone in attesting to Kaspesrky’s effectiveness.

In December 2020, the Director-General of the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), Dr. Sanjay Bahl, lauded their government’s partnership with Kaspersky, saying it will “…help towards creating a robust, safe, secure and resilient digital economy in a vibrant digital India.”

Anti-Malware Capabilities

So, how does Kaspersky do it? Its antivirus system continuously scans your devices in real-time. Upon detection, it analyzes other files in your computer to check whether the threat has duplicated itself.

The best thing about this process is that it removes malware and always notifies you whenever there’s a threat or a potential one. But there’s more to it with the following additional anti-malware features:

On top of these features, we were impressed by the availability of a backup plan, the Kaspersky Rescue Disk. It’s an emergency recovery solution that you can paste on a flash drive and run on an infected computer to help you recover your OS and data.

Optimizing Your Computer Space, Performance, and More

In the making of our Kaspersky review, we discovered that it can free up your computer space and optimize its performance.

Because of the app management feature, you don’t need to suffer from unresponsive programs or apps, which can usually cause your computer to respond slowly. Kaspersky keeps a good watch on these programs and puts a brake on anything that tries to freeze your computer.

The unique feature of Kaspersky known as ‘Application Control’ takes a significant role here. It keenly observes attempts made by users to launch applications and meticulously regulates the startup of programs based on predefined app control rules.

Moreover, if it detects that any app has an update, it quickly reminds you to get that update to ensure your apps run smoothly and maximize security. Better yet, you get suggestions to delete some apps that you rarely use.

This feature already streamlines your device performance. But what about the temporary data your OS stores for too long?

Kaspersy Clean-up

Fortunately, in our Kaspersky review and testing, we saw what the tool can delete for you (pending your approval):

If you’re a gamer, perhaps you want to know more about the best antivirus software for gaming PCs. Kaspersky’s constant alerts may sound like a nuisance during gameplay, but this feature does not need to be invasive.

With the manual and automatic Do Not Disturb function coming with all paid plans, you won’t have to see the pop-ups whenever you’re playing games, streaming movies, or working.

Once your hard drive is compromised, you can lose data. Kaspersky has a solution for this: the Hard Drive Health Monitor. This feature functions with self-reporting technology and shares with you whether the hard drive is suffering from any problem.

To help you with a potentially damaged hard drive, Kaspersky offers the Kaspersky Security Cloud, which lets you copy data from the hard drive and paste it onto other devices.

Secured Online Payments and Cryptocurrencies

Perhaps you are reading this Kaspersky review because you want the best value for your money. If you’re prone to attacks that intend to steal fiat money or crypto from you, it will be far more expensive in the long run.

It’s comforting to note that Kaspersky has shifted to protect its users’ online assets, too. Here are the ways this software ensures your cryptocurrency money is protected well.

The platform even sends you updates on recent crypto scams, phishing, and malicious crypto mining apps. This helps you know the things you must avoid – all without having to search the web for any news on such attacks.

With Safe Money, Kaspersky’s online banking security system, you are protected from malicious payment system attacks, including man-in-the-middle (MITM) ones.

With a system like this, Kaspersky users enjoy doing transactions online, including browser transactions which are sometimes prone to hacking.

Diving deeper into how Safe Money works, it’s interesting to note that Kaspersky has integrated robust Host-based Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS) and SelfDefense technologies.

With such strong guards, your online browsing becomes much more secure than ever. It also hinders the loading of malicious extensions or add-ons to your browser.

Some Honorable Mentions

There are some unique features offered by Kaspersky worth noting:

• Smart Home Monitor: This tool lets you manage your home Wi-Fi. That includes the devices that connect to your network and any threats that may come through your router.
• Password Safety Check: With Kaspersky, you can know which passwords are compromised or may seem easy to crack.
• Kaspersky Safe Kids: Track your children’s online activities and their whereabouts through GPS tracking.

Note that Kaspersky Safe Kids is a paid add-on, similar to its Password Manager.

Kaspersky Pricing — Is It a Good Value Purchase?

In terms of Kaspersky’s pricing, we found it to be quite cheaper than the leading antivirus solutions out there.

Divided into months, the starting plan would only be $3.20 in its introductory price, which is way more affordable than TotalAV and Nord. Even with its price after a year, it’s still relatively cheaper than the best solutions available.

Now, let’s explore each plan and what they have to offer.

Standard Plan

According to Kaspersky, this is the new version of their initial antivirus product, but it’s more than just that. This plan’s primary functions are anti-malware, antivirus, and anti-ransomware, backed with the following features:

Note that the prices displayed above are just introductory prices.

Other Details

Price after one year of subscription: $69.99 yearly
Add-ons: Password Manager, VPN, Kaspersky Safe Kids

Plus Plan

This plan includes everything in Standard, with the addition of the Hard Drive Health Monitor and the VPN service. While it would’ve been better if the VPN was available with Standard, the almost $15 difference still makes Plus a good option if you think you might need a VPN.

Meanwhile, the data leak checking, password management, and password checker are also part of the Plus Plan. This makes the additional $15 worthwhile, as the Password Manager is also just an add-on for Standard.

Other Details

Price after one year of subscription: $99.99 yearly
Add-ons: Kaspersky Safe Kids

Premium Plan

Again, this includes everything in the previous plans, and the difference lies with the better, hands-on support that you can access 24/7. With this plan, experts from Kaspersky can help you via remote access, in which they can conduct PC health checks and remove malware for you.

On top of that, all add-ons become features with this plan, including Kaspersky Safe Kids. This is also where you access other the Identity Protection Wallet, Smart Home Monitor, and Remote Access Detection functions.

Other Details

Price after one year of subscription: $149.99 yearly
Add-ons: None

While these are all amazing benefits of using Kaspersky, we believe it would be made considerably better if there was a free version. Thankfully, the software comes with a 30-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee, in which Kaspersky promises to give you a refund.

But one question still remains about pricing: is it hard to cancel a Kaspersky subscription? Turns out it’s relatively easy. You can log in to the website, click on “Manage Subscriptions,” click on the cancel button, and then follow the rest of the instructions.

Note here that your all-year subscription will still be valid. Only the next billing cycle will be canceled. Meanwhile, you can uninstall the software if you deem it necessary.

Kaspersky Interface – Is It User-Friendly?

We can confidently say that yes, Kaspersky’s interface is generally user-friendly even for those without experience with antivirus software.

A major problem with antivirus software these days is that it can be as intrusive as the actual malware it’s built to prevent.

Rest assured that Kaspersky does not create difficulties for its users, offering a unique approach that puts you firmly in the driver’s seat.

You can say goodbye to annoying notifications since you get to customize them based on your preference within your Kaspersky plan.

A great feature is that you get to suspend all updates and alerts with a mere single click, ensuring you have the best and most undisturbed gaming or working experience.

Desktop Version

This is the first version we tested, and we’re happy to say that, with a DDR3 16GB RAM Windows computer, Kaspersky didn’t slow down any operations. One of our testers played a game with Kaspersky in the background and found no issues.

Aside from not disturbing gaming with pop-up notifications, Kaspersky didn’t affect the game’s overall performance, either. This was still the case when our teammate clicked “Scan” and went back to playing.

Mobile Version

Although it’s sad to say that iOS users might get limited features, it’s still more than enough to protect their devices from common threats. With the iOS version, we’re able to access the Password Manager, parental controls, and VPN.

However, with the Android version, you get access to an additional call blocker feature, app locks, browsing protection, and anti-phishing from SMS attacks. The benefit here is that upon installing just random apps, we were eventually notified of some dangerous ones.

We also got to see the anti-theft protection capability of Kaspersky mobile, which lets users lock and locate devices should they be lost or stolen.

Kaspersky Compared With Other Antivirus Software

To help you further in your Kaspersky review, we’ve curated this table that includes the standout features and starting price of Kaspersky together with other providers. Feel free to compare and make a choice in the end should you want to.

With most of these outstanding features and best-for functionalities, we can say that Kaspersky is still quite flexible having almost every feature other software solutions have. However, its system still remains the best for online payments and crypto safety.

Want to check how it compares to the best of the best? We have another post with reviews of the top-ranking antivirus solutions.

What Do Kaspersky Reviews Say?

You are likely to see many positive reviews of Kaspersky, all of which align with what we found in our testing. However, you’ll see some users in mobile app stores demanding for Kaspersky mobile to be available in their areas, too.

Here are some of the ones that we believe you might find interesting:

On Reddit

Scanning through Reddit reviews will have you a mix of positive comments about Kaspersky and the allegations surrounding the product being a backdoor for political interest.

But we can relate to this one, as we’ve also seen how Kaspersky showed us some potential threats and unused files it offered to get rid of. To clarify, the Password Manager and VPN remain as add-ons unless you upgrade to the Plus Plan and beyond.

On G2

Over on G2, people talk about the political clouds surrounding Kaspersky. There are separate reviews for different product types, like the Password Manager, Kaspersky for Business, and the antivirus. Here’s one general review for Kaspersky:

Although we also noticed other comments talking about false-positive detections, we didn’t experience any.

One thing you can do is ensure that your antivirus software is up to date. Regular updates can iron out bugs, enhance detection accuracy, and keep false alarms to a minimum. You can also whitelist the files, folders, or software that you trust and want to use frequently.

Whitelisting is instructing the antivirus that these files are friendly and there’s no need to interfere when you’re accessing them. Overall, we can proudly say that our testing results are in sync with what other users have to say about Kaspersky.

Kaspersky Alternatives – What’s Better?

Maybe you’re looking for something more affordable, or perhaps a software that focuses on a specific feature you’re interested in. The good news is we’ve looked into a variety of other choices and laid them out for you in our comprehensive antivirus software guides:

Why You Can Trust Our Review of Kaspersky

In evaluating Kaspersky, our approach is grounded in its application. We’ve experimented with its key features such as:

But we don’t just rely on our experiences. We gather insights from real Kaspersky users from reliable sites like Reddit and G2. Their firsthand encounters add a vital layer to our review.

Moreover, our evaluation doesn’t exist in a vacuum – we’ve put other leading antivirus software like Total AV, Nord Threat Protection, Trend Micro, ESET, and more to the test.

Our broad exposure ensures we know the markers of excellence and can compare effectively.

How to Install and Use Kaspersky Step-By-Step

Kaspersky is relatively easy to both install and use. Here’s a quick step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Head to The Kaspersky Site and Sign Up

In our experience, the first step was to navigate our way to the official Kaspersky site, in which we signed up for a new account.

This made things much easier for the next steps.

Step 2: Choose Your Desired Kaspersky Antivirus Plan

Kaspersky offers a range of different plans tailored to various needs and budgets. Study them carefully or see our “Kaspersky Pricing – Is It a Good Value Purchase?” section in this blog, and then pick the one that suits you best.

As mentioned earlier, signing up first makes things easier. It does so as you can seamlessly move from the plan selection to checkout.

Step 3: Purchase, Download, and Install

Purchase your selected plan. Upon completion of your payment, you’ll get a prompt to download your newly bought software. It’s just as easy as it sounds.

Once you’ve downloaded the software, just open the installer and follow the on-screen instructions. This process should involve agreeing to the terms and conditions and choosing an installation method.

Step 4: Update Your Settings and Run Your First Scan

Once you’ve successfully downloaded and installed Kaspersky, the software will prompt you to tweak your settings according to your liking. In our testing process, we adjusted our notification preferences and scheduled our scans.

Afterward, kickstart your device’s security by running your first full scan with Kaspersky. This helps you ensure that there aren’t any lurking threats in your system right from the start.

Is Kaspersky Worth It?

Based on our comprehensive analysis and hands-on experience with Kaspersky, we confidently affirm that it brings much to the table.

While it may have had certain controversies and lack a free version, all evidence point to it being a reliable antivirus software with robust features like real-time malware detection, VPN, and web browsing protection.

So, why not see it for yourself? Try Kaspersky today and experience firsthand the digital shield it offers.

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